Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage Chapter 862: Bloodline Tattoo Prototype

CH862 Bloodline Tattoo Prototype

***

Alex looked at the holo-screen displaying the genetic information obtained by the Hive after consuming a new species from the nearby outskirts of the Great Berserk Beast Forest.

He wasn’t looking for something specific in the data, but rather what it represented.

’Even in my previous life, it was already a known fact that DNA contained all manner of information, including data about an individual’s height, race, hair colour, eye colour, and so on. I even remember hearing that it was possible to locate the region of birth, and perhaps even the residence of an individual, based upon examining their DNA.

’I also remember hearing stories from the Cold War about scientists who had developed ways of hiding small nuggets of data within a DNA sample.

’If ordinary humans from my previous life could encode information into DNA, one can only imagine the amount of information the natural order itself encodes in our DNA,’ Alex mused to himself.

’Based on my observations, I am now convinced that an individual’s DNA contains more than just physical information. It should also contain more magical information.’

’While I don’t have any concrete proof, the fact that the Heavenly Venerable was able to deduce a means of imparting cultivation talent through genetic manipulation leads me to believe my hypothesis is correct.

’In that case, if magical information does exist encoded in DNA, then Bloodline talent should also be accessible through accessing DNA.’

Words appeared on the screen before him as Orion processed his thoughts into words and images.

’I imagine that there is a segment of DNA which acts as a code that expresses the Bloodline structure and expression, as well as an embedded component that acts as the regulation for that Bloodline code.

’In species that show Ancestral Markings, beyond the amino acid code, there are magical glyph expressions encoded by said regulatory amino acid genes that influence Bloodlines and hence manifest as Ancestral Markings on these beings.

’Hence, it is fair to say that the regulatory genes for Bloodlines are arguably acceptable to magical glyphs.’

’Now, the issue is just about getting the magical glyphs to the required segments, which would enable outside regulation via the magical glyph,’ Alex mused while rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

’Unfortunately for me, it is impossible for me to write Runes small enough to bind to DNA. If not, this would have been—’ Alex suddenly froze at the thought.

’Wait, maybe I can write Runes that small.’ He pondered.

’Ava... Since the serendipitous accident when she was still a Spindlecarve Mite that rewrote her fundamental existence, Ava had become a living organism whose biological information is fundamentally expressed in Runes—my Rune-Tech platform’s Greater Runes, to be exact.

’Every single one of her drones is the same. Their genetic information is written in Greater Runes. Arguably, they are not living organisms in the actual sense, merely imitations of them.

’Still, Ava and her drones’ genetic information are written in microscopic runic form. Doesn’t that make this the most perfect form to—’ Alex paused his line of thought and shook his head.

’No, nature is not that convenient. Even though the drones are imitations of life, it doesn’t mean I can write a runic programme in the form of a drone’s genetic core and still expect it to animate as a drone. Especially not a programme that would allow me to do something as subtle and complicated as influencing a Bloodline.’

Alex returned to his earlier lines of thought on the holo-screen.

In particular, he was drawn to an earlier postulate where he hypothesised that the biggest problem with DNA as a database was interfacing with it.

’The core of Ava’s drones is genetic information written in Runes... Can’t write a strong enough influencing programme... Interfacing...’ Alex muttered for a moment or so while staring at the screen.

Just as he was about to give up in frustration, an idea came to him.

’Wait, that’s it!’

’If it is difficult to write code that finds the Bloodline segment of DNA and influences said Bloodline while said code still remains a viable biological core code, why don’t I just simplify things?

’The biggest difficulty with the idea is having a compact code that can influence the Bloodline regulation once found.’

’The very nature of Ava’s own mutative genetic code makes the former half of the task easier. Once the DNA is found and the right segment is located, whatever code I write only needs to act as an interface through which the other half of the equation can be solved.’

Alex grinned.

Alex envisioned an analogous computer that didn’t have a port to connect to a device needed for a user’s intended use or action. As long as the computer had ports, there were adaptors that could potentially convert the port the computer did have into one usable by the device.

His intention was to create a microscopic Ava drone that could bind to a target’s DNA, acting as a port that he could connect to from the outside and use as a means of exerting his intended influence.

—

A few days later, Alex joined Eleanore in one of the other rooms in the subterranean laboratory facility.

Tied to a table and sedated was a new monkey-type beast captured on the outskirts of the Great Berserk Beast Forest.

The poor creature had been healed of its berserk transformation and now looked like a normal magical beast.

Unfortunately, its trials were not over. Alex and Eleanore hadn’t saved it out of the goodness of their hearts. It was there as a test subject, nothing more.

With the monkey cleared of its berserk transformation, looking at it carefully, there was a strong resemblance to a human face. In fact, calling it a Human-Faced Monkey would be apt, which was why it became Alex and Eleanore’s target in the first place.

Not only did the monkey display a type of inherited Bloodline, but they also theorised that its genetic makeup would be as close to a human’s as they could find in any beast in the general area.

"It’s ready," Eleanore informed him after examining the creature.

Alex nodded.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered.

He took up an injector and injected its contents into the sedated creature.

Alex and Eleanore watched tensely as the serum entered the beast’s system. However, contrary to their expectations, nothing happened. The beast simply lay there peacefully.

About an hour later, Alex received a new prompt through Orion.

"It worked. The microbial drone colony successfully broke down and integrated the interface packet into the genetic code of multiple cells in the subject’s body. The cells are multiplying as we speak, and it won’t be long before they spread throughout the subject’s body," Alex reported.

Eleanore nodded.

For the next week, the couple, as well as other researchers at the facility, kept the monkey under strict observation.

After a week of care, the monkey had grown accustomed to the people at the facility. Even when it was freed from its enclosure, it didn’t try to escape, as it seemed to understand that only within the facility was the air ’pure’, so it willingly remained within its confines.

One of the BRD researchers at the facility who played with the monkey managed to get it to activate its Bloodline ability on command.

The monkey’s Bloodline ability turned out to be an agility-type ability that tripled its explosive speed for half an hour before entering a fatigued state that reduced its agility by 20%, for half a day.

After the week had passed, Eleanore confirmed that there had been no effects beyond the benign mutation, which caused all of its newly produced cells to carry the new Runic Code that allowed Alex to continue interfacing with the creature’s genetic code.

"With this, Phase 2 is complete," Eleanore stated.

Alex nodded.

The couple then moved on to Phase 3.

Once again sedated, the monkey had a new, extremely simple Rune Tattoo bound to its back by Alex.

The Rune Tattoo only had one function: to suppress the bearer’s Bloodline via the established genetic interface.

Hours later, when the beast finally woke up from the pain of having the Rune Tattoo bound to it—even through the sedative and anaesthesia—and was comforted by its researcher friend, the magical beast unleashed its Bloodline ability once more.

While the monkey looked at itself in confusion, Alex and Eleanore exchanged smiles.

The monkey’s Bloodline ability enhancement had dropped from 300% to about 280%.

The reduction was not much, but it was significant enough to show the couple that they were headed in the right direction.

***